Systems and methods for additive manufacturing to encapsulate transformative colloidal suspensions

1. A method of forming an energy absorbing three dimensional (3D) structure, comprising:

forming a first portion of an outer shell for the 3D structure from a shell material, the outer shell having a void forming a core volume;

filling the void of the core volume with a transformative liquid such that the transformative liquid is contained solely within the void; and

forming a second portion of the outer shell such that the outer shell forms a 3D structure when fully formed, and the transformative liquid is encapsulated within the void of the outer shell and provides a distinct structure which is independent of the outer shell but contained within the outer shell, to provide enhanced energy absorbing properties to the 3D structure while maintaining the 3D structure as a non-homogeneous structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the outer shell is formed first and provided with an opening into which to inject the transformative liquid.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the outer shell is formed layer-by-layer in an additive manufacturing process.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the core volume is filled with the transformative liquid, the core volume is closed off so that the transformative liquid is fully contained within the outer shell of the 3D structure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the outer shell is formed at least substantially simultaneously with filling of the core volume with the transformative liquid, in a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the use of a nozzle for at least substantially simultaneously dispensing both the shell material and the transformative liquid in the layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transformative liquid comprises a photocurable transformative liquid feedstock.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the outer shell is formed using a layer-by-layer process to optically cure only specific portions of each layer of the photocurable transformative liquid feedstock, while allowing other portions of each said layer to remain uncured.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the outer shell is formed in a layer-by-layer approach by projecting a series of images onto a quantity of the photocurable transformative liquid, each said image corresponding to one of the layers of the 3D structure; and

wherein portions of each one of the series of images is masked off to prevent photo curing of the photocurable transformative liquid within each one of the series of images, such that the void is collectively formed, and filled, by uncured portions of the photocurable transformative liquid of each said layer of the 3D structure.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein each said layer is formed by lowering each said layer of the 3D structure, after a curing phase that cures each said layer, further into a reservoir containing the photocurable transformative liquid.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filling of the core volume with a transformative liquid comprises filling the core volume with a magnetorheological fluid.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filling of the core volume with a transformative liquid comprises filling the core volume with a shear thickening fluid.

13. A method of forming an energy absorbing three dimensional (3D) structure using an additive manufacturing process, the method comprising:

forming an outer shell for the 3D structure from a shell material in a series of successively formed layers, the outer shell having a void forming a core volume;

filling the core volume with a transformative liquid; and

wherein when the 3D structure is fully formed, the transformative liquid is encapsulated within the outer shell and provides enhanced energy absorbing properties to the 3D structure.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the outer shell and the core having the transformative liquid are formed layer-by-layer, at least substantially simultaneously.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the outer shell and the core having the transformative liquid are formed using a nozzle which applies a core material for forming the outer shell, and the transformative liquid, at least substantially simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the outer shell is fully formed first, and subsequently the transformative liquid is applied to fill the void.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising closing off the void using an additional quantity of the shell material to fully encapsulate the transformative liquid within the void.

18. A method of forming an energy absorbing three dimensional (3D) structure using an additive manufacturing process, the method comprising:

forming an outer shell from a photocurable transformative liquid in a layer-by-layer approach to create a 3D structure in a series of successively formed layers, and such that the outer shell has an internal void forming a core volume, each one of said layers being formed by lowering each said layer of the 3D structure, after a curing phase that cures each said layer, further into a reservoir containing the photocurable transformative liquid;

wherein when the 3D structure is fully formed, a quantity of the photocurable transformative liquid is encapsulated in uncured form within the outer shell and provides enhanced energy absorbing properties to the 3D structure.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the outer shell is formed in the layer-by-layer approach by projecting a series of images onto a quantity of the transformative liquid, each said image corresponding to one of the layers of the 3D structure.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein portions of each one of the series of images is masked off to prevent photo curing of the photocurable transformative liquid within each one of the series of images, such that the internal void is collectively formed, and filled, by uncured portions of the photocurable transformative liquid of each said layer of the 3D structure.

21. A method of forming an energy absorbing three dimensional (3D) structure, comprising:

forming an outer shell for the 3D structure from a shell material, the outer shell having a void forming a core volume;

filling the core volume with a photocurable transformative liquid feedstock; and

wherein when the 3D structure is fully formed, the photocurable transformative liquid feedstock is encapsulated within the outer shell and provides enhanced energy absorbing properties to the 3D structure.

22. A method of forming an energy absorbing three dimensional (3D) structure, comprising:

forming an outer shell for the 3D structure from a shell material, the outer shell having a void forming a core volume, and the outer shell being formed through a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process;

filling the core volume with a transformative feedstock; and

wherein when the 3D structure is fully formed, the transformative feedstock is encapsulated within the outer shell and provides enhanced energy absorbing properties to the 3D structure.